Tactile revelations: investigating adult critical citizenship education in an informal art class context

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dc.contributor.advisorCostandius, Elmarieen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorAlexander, Neeskeen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMcDonald, Sharneen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-02-10T06:47:36Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-18T06:55:46Z
dc.date.available2023-02-10T06:47:36Z
dc.date.available2023-05-18T06:55:46Z
dc.date.issued2023-03
dc.description Thesis MA (VA)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: In formal education, more emphasis is being placed on presented facts and perceived performance than on critical, lateral thinking, the creative application of knowledge and materials, and making mistakes as a learning activity. What I am suggesting is that we have become out of practice with imagining new realities through the manipulation of tangible media like graphite, paint, clay and paper. Informal art education provides a space for the creative manipulation of materials without the pressure of achieving high marks. Critical citizenship education is concerned with creating new social realities that are more inclusive and equitable in a globalising world. The research presented in this thesis investigates the potential relationship between informal art classes and critical citizenship education for broadening people’s perceptions of the world. This study attempted to answer the research question: How do adult participants experience critical citizenship education in an informal art class context? I elaborate on some of the core concepts in critical citizenship education, namely transformation and pluralism, and discuss educational theories on motivation and confidence to learn, adult (or lifelong) learning and transformative learning. Perspectives of drawing, painting, clay sculpture and origami illustrate the value of informal art lessons in teaching pluralism. The research design is a case study centred around informal art classes facilitated on Saturdays that attracted a range of informal learners who had their own motivations for attending art classes. The classes covered fundamental lessons in drawing, painting, clay sculpture and origami and participants were asked to answer three questions after each lesson as self-reflection exercises. The participants’ responses, together with visual artworks produced at the classes and in-depth structured interviews, provided data for investigating the potential relationship between critical citizenship principles and art education. Participants’ experiences varied, but a common thread was observed: the adult learners who participated in this study recognised the value of interacting with and learning from others and the applicability of art techniques to principles of everyday life. Participants faced uncomfortable situations, experienced personal growth and were further motivated by feelings of accomplishment. The research and art curriculum that was developed from this study has the potential to contribute further to the study of practical applications of critical citizenship education, specifically in informal art class environments. Its application is potentially revolutionary, as formal art education can only reach certain demographic groups at school or tertiary-level education, whereas informal learning has a much broader reach. This is especially important in the current South African context where transformation strategies have not been as successful as hoped in formal education. The curriculum that I developed may also be used by teachers as an aid to supplement or enrich current art curricula (with further development).en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In formele onderwys word meer klem geplaas op voorgestelde feite en waargenome prestasie as op die aanleer van ‘n kritiese, laterale denkwyse, die kreatiewe toepassing van kennis en materiaal en die maak van foute as 'n leeraktiwiteit. My voorstel is dat ons uit oefening raak met die verbeeld van nuwe realiteite deur die manipulasie van tasbare media soos grafiet, verf, klei en papier. Informele kunsonderwys bied die geleentheid vir die kreatiewe manipulasie van materiale sonder die druk om hoë punte te behaal. Kritiese burgerskapsopvoeding betrek die skep van nuwe sosiale realiteite wat meer inklusief en regverdig is in 'n globaliserende wêreld. Die navorsing wat in hierdie tesis aangebied word ondersoek die potensiële verband tussen informele kunsklasse en kritiese burgerskapsopvoeding om mense se persepsies van die wêreld te verbreed. Hierdie studie het gepoog om die volgende navorsingsvraag te beantwoord: Hoe ervaar volwasse deelnemers kritiese burgerskapsopvoeding in die konteks van informele kunsklasse? Ek brei uit op sommige van die kernbegrippe in kritiese burgerskapsopvoeding, naamlik transformasie en pluralisme, en bespreek opvoedkundige teorieë oor motivering en selfvertroue om te leer, volwasse (of lewenslange) onderwys en transformerende onderwys. Perspektiewe van teken, skilder, kleibeeldhouwerk en origami illustreer die waarde van informele kunslesse in die onderrig van pluralisme. Die navorsingsontwerp is 'n gevallestudie wat gesentreer is rondom informele kunsklasse wat op Saterdae gefasiliteer was en 'n verskeidenheid informele leerders gelok het, wat hul eie motiverings gehad het om kunsklasse by te woon. Die klasse het grondliggende lesse in teken, skilderkuns, kleibeeldhouwerk en origami behandel en deelnemers is gevra om drie vrae na elke les as selfrefleksie-oefeninge te beantwoord. Die deelnemers se antwoorde, tesame met visuele kunswerke wat by die klasse geproduseer is en in-diepte gestruktureerde onderhoude, het data verskaf om die potensiële verband tussen kritiese burgerskapbeginsels en kunsopvoeding te ondersoek. Deelnemers se ervarings het gewissel, maar my algemene waarneming is dat die volwasse leerders wat aan hierdie studie deelgeneem het die waarde van interaksie met mede-leerders en die toepaslikheid van kunstegnieke op beginsels van die alledaagse lewe erken het. Deelnemers het ongemaklike situasies in die gesig gestaar, persoonlike groei ervaar en is verder gemotiveer deur hul innerlike ervaring van prestasie. Die navorsing en kunskurrikulum wat uit hierdie studie ontwikkel is, het die potensiaal om verder by te dra tot die studie van praktiese toepassings van kritiese burgerskapsopvoeding, spesifiek in informele kunsklaskontekste. Die toepassing daarvan is potensieël revolusionêr, aangesien formele kunsonderwys slegs sekere demografiese groepe op skool- of tersiêre vlak kan bereik, terwyl informele onderwys 'n baie breër reikwydte het. Dit is veral belangrik in die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse konteks waar transformasiestrategieë in formele onderwys nie so suksesvol was as wat gehoop is nie. Die kurrikulum wat ek ontwikkel het kan ook deur onderwysers gebruik word as hulpmiddel om huidige kunskurrikulums (met verdere ontwikkeling) aan te vul en te verryk.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extent80 pages : illustrationsen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126918
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshAdult educationen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshCitizenship -- Study and teachingen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshConfidenceen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshCreative abilityen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshPluralismen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshArt -- Study and teachingen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshCurriculum studiesen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshContinuing educationen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshNon-formal educationen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshTactile arten_ZA
dc.subject.nameUCTD
dc.titleTactile revelations: investigating adult critical citizenship education in an informal art class contexten_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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